BRILLIANT! Now, Umno wants undergraduates to STUDY Tanda Putera

An UMNO leader now wants the RM4.8 million fictional film “Tanda Putera” depicting the racial riot May 13 incident to be included as a subject for institutions of higher learning.

“It is good if it is studied, especially by undergraduates, so they can evaluate and criticise it from various perspectives and the actual meaning of the story,” deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s department Razali Ibrahim was quoted saying by Free Malaysia Today.

Tanda Putera is a work of fiction, according to its director Suhaimi Baba. FINAS and the Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC) had funded the film.

The film finally made it to cinemas last Thursday, approximately a year delay from its original plan September 13 last year.

Besides Razali, Tourism minister Nazri Aziz had also defended the film as a well-researched work.

He urged the Chinese community not to be offended by the film, which allegedly portrayed them to be the culprit behind the May 13 racial riots.

Meanwhile, former UMNO minister Zaid Ibrahim had mocked Razali’s suggestion to include Tanda Putera as an academic subject.

“At this rate who needs Education Blueprint. Just ask a few more UMNO Ministers what else should be compulsory and we are home,” he wrote on Twitter.

“Don’t forget another compulsory subject; how to be rich as leaders; how the children must also succeed; what properties to buy in London.”